Game apparatus.



PATENTED JAN. 22, 1907.

J. H. COLE.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15, 1906.

R N a d a 8 m M N m w E u w N m |+AI LIAIIANHAIAIQJ n U i k m X a H A H M K b l\ A T M A \Q \N\ A A A A M r A M Q A A w 4 w M HA n M Q MW ww MG Iv @YIVI NA vYY JOHN HARDING COLE, OF INNISHANNON, IRELAND.

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented lIan. 22, 1907.

Application filed January 15, 1906. Serial No. 296.118.

To (ti/Z whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that 1, JOHN HARDING COLE, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Woodview, Innishannon, in the county of Cork, Ireland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which'it appertains to make and use the same. I

This invention relates to games and game apparatus; and the object thereof is to provide an improved apparatus of this class by means of which a novel and interesting game which involves both the features of billiards and croquet may be conveniently played either in a dining-room on an ordinary dining-table or on any similar table or, if desired, upon an ordinary billiard-table; and with this and other objects in view the invention consists in a game apparatus of the class specified constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of an ordinary table, such as a dining-table, provided with my improved game apparatus; Fig. 2, a transverse-section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a side view, partially in section, of a markingcolumn which I employ; Fig. 4, a view similar to Fig. 3, showing another markingcolumn also employed in my improved game apparatus and Fig. 5, a side view, partially in section, of a wicket, six of which are employed.

In the drawings forming part of this specification I have shown at a an ordinary table, which may be either an ordinary dining-table or a similar table of any kind or class, and this table is preferably covered with cloth, as shown at b; but the cloth is not an absolutely necessary feature of the invention. I also provide side and end cushion-rails c and 0 which correspond inlength with the length and Width of the table, and the said cushionrails are placed on the side and end edge portions of the-table and are held thereon by clamps d. The cushion-rails c and c are provided at intervals with concave recesses 0 and the clamps d are yoke-shaped in form and are adapted to be manipulated so that the ends thereof will engage the cushion-rails at the central portion of the concave recesses 0 and then by moving said clamps longitudinally of said rails the latter may be securely locked to the table, as will be readily understood.

My invention, however, is not limited to any particular form of the clamps d, and any suitable devices of this class may be em ployed for securing the cushion-rails c and c to the table.

The cushion-rails c and c are also provided centrally of their inner sides with cushionstrips c, which are countersunk in said rails and which are composed of rubber, rubber and canvas, or any suitable elastic material. I also provide a plurality of wickets f, six of which are shown in Fig. l and one of which is shown in Fig. 5, and these wickets are weighted and provided with feet f, to the bottom of which are secured pads or cushions f which correspond with the cloth I), employed .as a covering for the table and which aid in holding the wickets in proper position; but the said cushions or pads f 3 are not absolutely essential. The wicketsmay be cast out of any suitable metal, so as to give them the proper weight, or they may be made of any suitable material and be weighted, as will be readily understood, and the separate legs of the wickets are provided at a predetermined distance from the bottom of said legs with annular cushions f composed of rubber or any suitable material, and the wicket itself may also be provided with a flag or flags f which maybe used for marking the progress of the game.

I also provide two heavy or weighted columns or towers g and h, which correspond with the pegs or posts used. in the game of croquet, and the column or tower h is preferably built to represent a lighthouse and is designed tomark the starting end of the table in playing the game, and said column or tower. is also provided with colored bands 9 and in practice the balls with which the game is played are colored to correspond with said bands, and said bands indicate the order in which the various players begin the game. The other column or tower h is preferably made to represent an ordinary Celtic tower and is placed at the end of the table opposite the column or tower g, and'forms, as does the column or tower g, a part of the game apparatus, as clearly indicated in Fig. 1, and the columns or towers g and h are both provided,

tower g is struck.

respectively, at a predetermined distance from the base thereof with annular cushion devices 9 and 72/ and said columns or towers are also respectively provided with cushions or pads g and 71/3, which are secured to the base thereof.

It will be understood, of course, that the cushion formed by the strip 6 around the cushion rails or strips 0 correspond with the cushion devices f g and h2 on the wickets f and towers g and h, and in the playing of the game, which is done by means of balls and mallets, the balls being indicated at i in Figs. 3 and 5, the said balls strike these cushions and rebound freely, and the said cushions, as will be understood, add a very attractive feature to the game apparatus and render the game more attractive and interesting.

In practice the wickets and columns or towers g and h are placed on the table, as indicated in Fig. 1, and the number playing the game is preferably limited to four, although, as will be understood, a different number of players may engage in the game, if desired. The party beginning the game places his ball at 9' in Fig. 1, and the object to be achieved is to pass the ball over the lines indicated by the arrows 9c and y, in which op eration all the wickets are passed through, and the column or tower h is struck, and from the column or tower It all the wickets are again passed through and the column or The method of playing the game otherwise than above set out is the same as in croquet, the first player continuing as long as he can count by passing through a wicket and striking a column or tower. The second, third, and fourth players follow the first, the same as in croquet, and the second, third, and fourth player may use the ball of any player preceding him in the same as in the last-named game.

My invention is not, as will be understood, limited to any particular order of playing the game, and any desired rules or regulations may be adapted for this purpose.

Instead of providing the cushion rails or strips 0 and 0 as shown in the accompanying drawings and as hereinbefore described, an ordinary billiard-table may be employed, and the other parts of the apparatus, including thewickets the towers g and h, and the balls and mallets, may be used on and in connection with said table, as hereinbefore described.

The mallets used in playing this game are similar to those employed in playing other games of this class and form no part of this invention and are therefore not shown and described, and this is also true of the balls employed; but for the purpose of indicating the operation of said balls in connection with the cushions on the wickets and towers or columns I have indicated said balls in Figs. 3 and 5.

It will be observed that the cushions f g and 7L2, applied to the wicketsf and towers or columns g and h, are of such width that the balls used in playing the game will strike said cushions before they strike the base of the said wickets, columns, or towers, and said columns or towers and said wickets should in practice be made of such weight that the balls will not affect or dislodge them.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that my improved game apparatus comprises a table having cushioned rails, members having Weighted bases adapted to be placed on said table and provided above the bottom weighted bases with annular cushions which project equal to or beyond said bases, and balls adapted to be placed on said table and to be moved by a mallet or cue, the cushioned rails of the table and the annular cushions on the said upright members serving for the purpose of cushioning the ball or balls or caroming the same when said balls come in contact with said cushions.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a game apparatus of the class described, a plurality of movable devices having weighted bases adapted to rest loosely on a table or other support, said devices being provided above their weighted bases and independent thereof with annular cushions which project beyond said bases.

2. In a game apparatus of the class described, a wicket the sides of which are provided with weighted bases adapted to rest on a table or other support, the sides of said wicket being also provided above the weighted bases with annular cushions which project beyond said bases.

.In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 2d day of November, 1905.

JOHN HARDING COLE.

Witnesses:

JOHN KELLEHER, DOROTHY E. M. Con 

